COVID-19 Pandemic In Australia Research Articles

Insights into parents’ perceived worry before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: inequality and heterogeneity of influences

BackgroundExcessive worry is an invisible disruptive force that has adverse health outcomes and may advance to other forms of disorder, such as anxiety or depression. Addressing worry and its influences is challenging yet crucial for informing public health policy.MethodsWe examined parents’ worries, influences, and variability before and during COVID-19 pandemic and across geography. Parents (n = 340) and their primary school-aged children from five Australian states completed an anonymous online survey in mid-2020. After literature review, we conceptualised the influences and performed a series of regression analyses.ResultsWorry levels and the variables contributing to parents’ worry varied before to during the pandemic. The proportion of parents who were "very worried all the time" increased by 14.6% in the early days of the pandemic. During the pandemic, ethnic background modified parents’ worry and parents’ history of daily distress symptoms was a significant contributor (p < 0.05). Excessive exposure to news remained significant both before and during the pandemic. The primary predictor of parents’ worry before COVID-19 was perceived neighbourhood safety, while the main predictor during COVID-19 was financial risk due to income change. Some variable such as neighbourhood safety and financial risk varied in their contribution to worry across geographical regions. The proportion of worried children was higher among distraught parents.ConclusionParents’ worry during the health pandemic was not triggered by the health risks factors but by the financial risk due to income change. The study depicts inequality in the impact of COVID-19 by ethnic background. Different policies and reported virus case numbers across states may have modified the behaviour of variables contributing to the geography of parents’ worry. Exposure to stressors before the COVID-19 pandemic may have helped parents develop coping strategies during stressful events. Parents are encouraged to limit their exposure to stressful news. We advocate for parents-specific tailored policies and emphasise the need for access to appropriate mental health resources for those in need. Advancing research in geographical modelling for mental health may aid in devising much-needed location-targeted interventions and prioritising resources in future events.

An Independent Art Library for Naarm/Melbourne

Melbourne Art Library was established in 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, as a uniquely independent art library in Australia. The library's development – which may be equated to a kind of practice-lead-research exploring what a library is – has not been without its difficulties. Yet, despite this, the library is three years strong and provides a specialised lending collection of over 3000 books, a reading room, and an active program of public events.

Development and validation of the COVID-19 Impact Scale in Australia

Objective The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted and continues to impact the health and well-being of Australian adults. However, there has been no instrument validated to comprehensively measure how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted adults in Australia across several domains (e.g. fear of COVID-19, attitudes towards vaccination, psychosocial impact of lockdowns). The current study conducted a rigorous psychometric process to develop and validate an instrument to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the COVID-19 Impact Scale (CIS). Method Data was obtained from the Australian population. Participants (N = 563) aged between 19 and 91 years (M = 54.50, SD = 16.16) provided online responses between June, 2021 and May, 2022. The majority of participants were female (60.9%), employed either full-time (37.7%) or part-time (22.0%), and had completed an undergraduate degree or higher (70.1%). An initial pool of 30 items was developed based on a review of the literature and input from a panel of experts including psychologists, epidemiologists, and public health experts, among others. The study used network psychometrics to examine the psychometric properties of: (1) item score distributions; (2) item redundancy; (3) dimensionality; (4) model fit; (5) measurement invariance; (6) reliability; and (7) criterion validity. Results Following an evaluation of items for ceiling/floor effects and redundancy, the final CIS network model included eighteen nodes and displayed a three-dimensional structure. The three communities of “Fear” (consisting of three nodes; ω = 0.82), “Attitudes” (consisting of ten nodes; ω = 0.89), and “Ill-being” (consisting of five nodes; ω = 0.79) displayed adequate reliability. The evaluation of model fit indicated a good fit of the network model (RMSEA = 0.047; CFI =0.98). Conclusion The instrument is available to be used by Australian researchers and implemented to evaluate public policies, adapted for future pandemics, or used internationally.

Australian emergency nurses' experiences of working with personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative study

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a need to understand the challenges associated with wearing Personal protective Equipment (PPE). The aim in this study was to explore emergency nurses’ experiences early in the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and the impact of PPE use on their practice. MethodsAn explorative descriptive qualitative study was conducted between January 2022 and April 2022. Eighteen emergency nurses and six leaders participated. Semi-structured interviews (n = 21) and one focus group were conducted. Interview transcripts were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s framework. ResultsTwo major themes were identified. The first theme was: (1) The shifting ground of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Associated sub-themes were: i) What’s the go with PPE today? ii) In the beginning we were scrambling for masks; iii) Emergency is the true frontline. The second theme was: (2) Physical and emotional impacts of emergency nursing work. Sub-themes were: (i) Facing the fear of exposure; (ii) By the end of the shift I am just absolutely spent; iii) Discomfort of wearing PPE impacts on compliance. ConclusionsHealthcare leaders need to secure PPE supply chains and evaluate the effectiveness and side-effects of different PPE designs to minimise occupational harms associated with prolonged PPE use.

Many leveled ordinal models for frequency of alcohol and drug use

ABSTRACT Background: The numbers of days people consume alcohol and other drugs over a fixed interval, such as 28 days, are often collected in surveys of substance use. The presence of an upper bound on these variables can result in response distributions with “ceiling effects.” Also, if some peoples’ substance use behaviors are characterized by weekly patterns of use, summaries of substance days-of-use over longer periods can exhibit multiple modes. Objective: To highlight advantages of ordinal models with a separate level for each distinct survey response, for bounded, and potentially multimodal, count data. Methods: We fitted a Bayesian proportional odds ordinal model to longitudinal cannabis days-of-use reported by 443 individuals who used illicit drugs (206 female, 214 male, 23 non-binary). We specified an ordinal level for each unique response to allow the exact numeric distribution implied by the predicted ordinal response to be inferred. We then compared the fit of the proportional odds model with binomial, negative binomial, hurdle negative binomial and beta-binomial models. Results: Posterior predictive checks and the leave one out information criterion both suggested that the proportional odds model gave a better fit to the cannabis days-of-use data than the other models. Cannabis use among the target population declined during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, with the odds of a member of the population exceeding any specified frequency of cannabis use in Wave 4 estimated to be 73% lower than in Wave 1 (median odds ratio 0.27, 90% credible interval 0.19, 0.38). Conclusion: Ordinal models can be suitable for complex count data.

“I do not consent”: political legitimacy, misinformation, and the compliance challenge in Australia’s Covid-19 policy response

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between policy compliance, the emergence of alternate epistemes and authorities in online spaces, and the decline of trust and legitimacy in democratic institutions. Drawing on insights from public policy, regulation theory, and political theory, the paper critically engages with scholarship on “policy-takers” to illuminate the tensions of compliance and legitimacy in liberal states. It proposes a compliance–legitimacy matrix that identifies the features of policy compliance—including consent, legitimacy, expertise, and trust—and their relationship to the disaggregation of policy knowledge. The article applies this framework to a case study of social media posts that respond to policy information during the management of the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia. Through analysis of these posts, the study reveals the distrust in “the science” and experts advocated by government and the calls from skeptic groups for noncompliance with public health measures. The paper argues that public policy faces an epistemic crisis of public confidence, with significant downstream consequences for compliance with public policy initiatives that has been brought on both by the failures of states to cultivate trust in science and the government. The compliance–legitimacy matrix offers a useful tool for policymakers to anticipate and address objections from policy-takers and to preempt and diffuse their fears.

Perspectives of telehealth access and implementation in people recovering from serious transport injury, health care providers and compensation system staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

IntroductionBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, few injury compensation schemes supported access to service-delivery via telehealth. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of people recovering from serious transport injury, health care providers, and senior staff of a transport injury compensation scheme, in relation to the uptake and implementation of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its ongoing use. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were undertaken with 35 participants, including 15 seriously injured patients, 16 health care providers and 4 compensation scheme staff. A thematic analysis was performed using a framework approach. ResultsThemes identified included the need to provide continuity of care via telehealth during the pandemic for patients recovering from injury, and the associated organisational and technical support needs. It was noted that some types of services worked well via telehealth, including psychology, while others did not, including physical assessments. The convenience of telehealth was highlighted, in relation to reduced travel. However, there were often safety fears relating to falls, and communication issues with injured people. ConclusionsThis research found that the majority of injured patients and health care providers had benefitted from the introduction of service delivery via telehealth during the pandemic for some types of services. Participants saw opportunities for continued benefit post-pandemic, particularly for improving equity of access to health care for people with barriers to mobility and travel.

Patterns of participation in early childhood education before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected children’s care and education worldwide. This article reports on patterns of participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) across Australia as influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and national policies. Using ECEC data from Xplor – a software platform used across Australian childcare centres (2019: n = 229,349; 2020: n = 229,468), patterns of attendance rates were examined nationally in 2019 and 2020 by service-level and family-level characteristics. The average attended hours per week of ECEC nationally in 2020 (18.32 hours) was less than that in 2019 (21.26 hours). Attendance rates at ECEC in 2020 declined rapidly from 66% to 26.2% at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Fee-free subsidy from Australian governments did not substantially increase attendance or reduce disparities in attendance for vulnerable families. Low ECEC attendance rates for prolonged periods could have significant implications for child development, particularly for children from vulnerable backgrounds.

Circulation of influenza and other respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand, 2020–2021

Circulation of influenza and other respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand, 2020–2021

Navigating a public health crisis: Governance and sensemaking during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

The COVID-19 pandemic required people to navigate complex information landscape situated in changing and uncertain environments. In places like Australia, where rigid restrictions were in place for over a year, most did so from their homes. Although expert advice cautions that inflexible government measures undermine compliance, research indicates that many Australians demonstrated both willingness and intention to follow these preventative measures. We examine the conditions underpinning this seeming anomaly by studying how Australian residents made sense of the COVID-19 health crisis and its governance. Semi-structured interviews with 40 participants evince how they sought out various forms of information and knowledge to produce meaning in actionable ways—in short, their sensemaking. Building on insights from information science and regulatory governance research, we trace individuals’ sensemaking practices, capturing how government-backed messaging became interconnected with diverse forms of information and knowledge drawn on by participants. Findings illustrate how sensemaking practices shifted over the first two years of the pandemic and how active information-seeking often reinforced trust in government responses during that time. This analysis demonstrates how sensemaking can inform the development of bottom-up pathways for encouraging compliance with public health interventions and promoting health literacy, especially in times of crisis.

Keeping kids in school: modelling school-based testing and quarantine strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

In 2021, the Australian Government Department of Health commissioned a consortium of modelling groups to generate evidence assisting the transition from a goal of no community COVID-19 transmission to 'living with COVID-19', with adverse health and social consequences limited by vaccination and other measures. Due to the extended school closures over 2020-21, maximizing face-to-face teaching was a major objective during this transition. The consortium was tasked with informing school surveillance and contact management strategies to minimize infections and support this goal. Outcomes considered were infections and days of face-to-face teaching lost in the 45 days following an outbreak within an otherwise COVID-naïve school setting. A stochastic agent-based model of COVID-19 transmission was used to evaluate a 'test-to-stay' strategy using daily rapid antigen tests (RATs) for close contacts of a case for 7 days compared with home quarantine; and an asymptomatic surveillance strategy involving twice-weekly screening of all students and/or teachers using RATs. Test-to-stay had similar effectiveness for reducing school infections as extended home quarantine, without the associated days of face-to-face teaching lost. Asymptomatic screening was beneficial in reducing both infections and days of face-to-face teaching lost and was most beneficial when community prevalence was high. Use of RATs in school settings for surveillance and contact management can help to maximize face-to-face teaching and minimize outbreaks. This evidence supported the implementation of surveillance testing in schools in several Australian jurisdictions from January 2022.

Influenza presentations and use of neuraminidase inhibitors by Australian general practice registrars: a cross-sectional analysis from the ReCEnT study

ObjectiveThis study aims to establish prevalence and associations of (1) influenza and influenza-like illness (IILI) presentations to Australian general practice (GP) registrars (trainees) and (2) the use of neuraminidase inhibitors...

'I'm provax': Pro-vaccination personal histories and socialities of older Australians in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccination scholarship often explores how social networks foster vaccine refusal and delay, revealing how social and institutional relations produce refusing or delaying parents and un- or under-vaccinated children. It is likewise critical to understand the development of pro-vaccination orientations by researching those who want to be vaccinated since such attitudes and associated practices underpin successful vaccination programmes. This article explores pro-vaccination sociality, personal histories and self-understandings during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. We draw upon 18 in-depth interviews with older Western Australians, documenting how they articulate 'provax' identities in opposition to those they depict as 'antivax' others. Provax identities were clearly anchored in and solidified through social relations and personal histories, as interviewees spoke of 'likeminded' friends and families who facilitated each other's vaccinations and referenced childhood experiences of epidemics and vaccinations. Access barriers relating to the vaccine programme drove interviewees to reimagine their provax status in light of not yet being vaccinated. Thus, interviewees' moral and ideological understandings of themselves and others were interrelated with supply-side constraints. We examine the development of self-proclaimed 'provaxxers' (in a context of limited access); how they imagine and enact boundaries between themselves and those they deem 'antivax'; and possibilities for public health research.

Influence of COVID-19 on asymmetric cost behavior and intellectual capital efficiency: a comparison of Australian and Chinese listed firms

ABSTRACT This study examines whether intellectual capital efficiency affects the asymmetric cost behavior of managers and whether such influences were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and China. The sample consists of Australian and Chinese-listed firms from 2018 to 2021. The results found that intellectual capital efficiency increases the cost stickiness in general for both countries. However, the degree of cost stickiness caused by intellectual capital efficiency is significantly more pronounced in Australia than in China. When Chinese firms have government connections, the degree of cost stickiness caused by the intellectual capital efficiency increases and the significant difference in cost stickiness between China and Australia ceases. In addition, this study found that COVID-19 affected the degree of cost stickiness in China more profoundly than in Australia. This study presents important implications for external stakeholders to assess a firm’s cost behavior by considering a firm’s intellectual capital efficiency as the determinant of asymmetric cost behavior.

The Experiences of Older Chinese Migrants with Chronic Diseases during COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia

The aim of the study was to understand older Chinese migrants’ perceptions of social cohesion and access to health to manage chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. This study employed a qualitative descriptive study design. Participants were recruited from a Chinese community organisation in an Australian state. Data were collected via online interviews with participants using Zoom and WeChat Apps. A semistructured interview guide informed by the social determinants of health framework was used in the interview. The data collection period was between August and October, 2020. Thematic analysis was used in data analysis. In total, 24 participants including 17 older Chinese migrants with noncommunicable chronic diseases and seven family carers participated in the study. Of the 17 older Chinese migrants, 10 were male and seven were female. Their mean age was 76 years (ranging from 65 to 86) and they spoke little English. All seven carers were females with a mean age of 61 years (ranging from 35 to 76). Three main themes were identified in the study and described as: increased loneliness, anxiety, and depression; increased difficulties in accessing healthcare services; and various experiences in telehealth. In conclusion, older Chinese-Australians who spoke little English and lived with chronic diseases experienced the loss of their only social capital during the COVID-19 pandemic. They faced language barriers for accessing and utilising primary care to manage their chronic diseases when these care services were changed into telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings provide a clear direction for stakeholders to take actions to address the lack of social cohesion and health inequalities for the most vulnerable populations in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Effectiveness and co-benefits of a telephone-based intervention in reducing obesity risk of children aged 2–4 years: findings from a pragmatic randomised controlled trial during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

BackgroundEvidence of effective early childhood obesity prevention is scarce and mainly derived from face-to-face interventions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced face-to-face health programmes globally. This study assessed effectiveness of a telephone-based intervention in reducing obesity risk of young children. MethodsWe adapted a study protocol (developed before the pandemic) and conducted a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of 662 women with children aged 2 years (mean age 24·06 months [SD 0·69]) during March, 2019, and October, 2021, extending the original planned intervention of 12 months to 24 months. The adapted intervention comprised five telephone-based support sessions plus text messages over a 24-month period (at child ages 24–26 months, 28–30 months, 32–34 months, 36–38 months, and 42–44 months). The intervention group (n=331) received staged telephone plus SMS support regarding healthy eating, physical activity, and information about COVID-19. The control group (n=331) received four staged mail-outs on information not related to the obesity prevention intervention, such as toilet training, language development, and sibling relationships, as a retention strategy. The intervention effects on BMI (primary outcome) and eating habits (secondary outcome), and perceived co-benefits, were evaluated using surveys and qualitative telephone interviews at 12 months and 24 months after baseline (age 2 years). The trial is registered with the Australian Clinical Trial Registry, ACTRN12618001571268. FindingsOf 662 mothers, 537 (81%) completed the follow-up assessments at 3 years, and 491 (74%) completed the follow-up assessment at 4 years. Multiple imputation analysis showed no significant difference in mean BMI between the groups. Among low-income families (ie, annual household income <AU$80 000) at age 3 years, the intervention was significantly associated with a lower mean BMI (16·26 kg/m2 [SD 2·22]) in the intervention group than in the control group (16·84 kg/m2 [2·37]; p=0·040), a difference of –0·59 (95% CI –1·15 to –0·03; p=0·040). Children in the intervention group were more likely not to eat in front of the television than the control group, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2·00 (95% CI 1·33 to 2·99) at 3 years and an aOR of 2·50 (1·63 to 3·83) at 4 years. Qualitative interviews with 28 mothers revealed that the intervention increased their awareness, confidence, and motivation to implement healthy feeding practices, particularly for families from culturally diverse backgrounds (ie, speaking a language other than English at home). InterpretationA telephone-based intervention was well received by the mothers who participated in the study. The intervention could reduce children's BMI from low-income families. Telephone-based support targeted at low-income families and families from culturally diverse backgrounds could reduce current inequalities in childhood obesity. FundingThe trial was funded under the NSW Health Translational Research Grant Scheme 2016 (number TRGS 200) and also by a National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership grant (number 1169823).

Individual Responsibility and Disconnection: Practitioner Experiences of the First Wave COVID19 Lockdown

ABSTRACT The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia called for a lockdown that impacted the delivery of social work and human services. This study investigated the experiences of 15 social work and human service practitioners in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Telephone and Zoom interviews were conducted with practitioners and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Three themes arose: 1) technology problems; 2) flexibility in work roles; 3) supportive and unsupportive organisations. Findings suggested that practitioners faced challenges due to poor technology, reduced role clarity, and in some cases limited organisational support. Findings also provided insight into benefits that included increased flexibility, regular communication from the organisation, and acts of kindness and care from individuals and organisations. A fundamental lesson from this study was the importance for organisations to nurture connections that demonstrated care for employees during times of crisis. IMPLICATIONS Social work and human service practitioners need continued support in accessing and using software and hardware in preparation for crisis. While practitioners displayed resilience and flexibility during the COVID19 lockdown, clarity about work roles and responsibilities is necessary. Employers play a vital role in maintaining practitioner wellbeing during crisis by showing care and connection between individuals and across the wider organisation.

Nutrition care processes across hospitalisation in critically ill patients with COVID-19 in Australia: A multicentre prospective observational study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic highlighted major challenges with usual nutrition care processes, leading to reports of malnutrition and nutrition-related issues in these patients. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to describe nutrition-related service delivery practices across hospitalisation in critically ill patients with COVID-19 admitted to Australian intensive care units (ICUs) in the initial pandemic phase. MethodsThis was a multicentre (nine site) observational study in Australia, linked with a national registry of critically ill patients with COVID-19. Adult patients with COVID-19 who were discharged to an acute ward following ICU admission were included over a 12-month period. Data are presented as n (%), median (interquartile range [IQR]), and odds ratio (OR [95% confidence interval {CI}]). ResultsA total of 103 patients were included. Oral nutrition was the most common mode of nutrition (93 [93%]). In the ICU, there were 53 (52%) patients seen by a dietitian (median 4 [2–8] occasions) and malnutrition screening occurred in 51 (50%) patients most commonly with the malnutrition screening tool (50 [98%]). The odds of receiving a higher malnutrition screening tool score increased by 36% for every screening in the ICU (1st to 4th, OR: 1.39 [95% CI: 1.05–1.77] p = 0.018) (indicating increasing risk of malnutrition). On the ward, 51 (50.5%) patients were seen by a dietitian (median time to consult: 44 [22.5–75] hours post ICU discharge). The odds of dietetic consult increased by 39% every week while on the ward (OR: 1.39 [1.03–1.89], p = 0.034). Patients who received mechanical ventilation (MV) were more likely to receive dietetic input than those who never received MV. ConclusionsDuring the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, approximately half of the patients included were seen by a dietitian. An increased number of malnutrition screens were associated with a higher risk score in the ICU and likelihood of dietetic consult increased if patients received MV and as length of ward stay increased.

Zooming in: The relationship between appearance concerns and perceived performance whilst videoconferencing among Australian adults

Videoconferencing for work/study purposes has increased rapidly due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Given this practice often involves viewing one’s own video image, higher appearance concerns whilst videoconferencing may be linked to poorer performance whereby individuals may not feel they are able to engage or have control during a work/study meeting. The present study cross-sectionally examined whether both facial appearance concerns and fear of negative evaluation during videoconferencing for work/study purposes were directly and indirectly related to performance control and engagement, through self-focused attention and appearance distraction. Adult participants (N = 534, Mage = 26.32, SD = 11.08; 78% female) completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Path analysis revealed direct and indirect effects, suggesting that heightened appearance self-consciousness was associated with greater self- and appearance-focused attention. In turn, this was related to impaired performance during videoconferencing. Multigroup analyses demonstrated that the magnitude of the proposed correlational effects were comparable across men and women. Given the ongoing reliance on videoconferencing, these findings have important theoretical and practical implications.

Staff experiences, perceptions of care and communication in ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

Staff experiences, perceptions of care and communication in ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia